Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is Translation England a translation agency?No, Translation England is not a company, business or translation agency. Translation England is Nicholas Bremner, Jonathan Hemming and Chris Ward who are all freelance translators. We are all registered as self-employed individuals with HMRC. You will pay directly the translator that completes your translation project. Translation England is not a registered company. You will not have to pay VAT as we are not VAT-registered in the United Kingdom.Q. Is it worth paying for a professional translator? Why can’t I just use Google?A. Machine Translation programs like Google Translate may be useful to get a very brief idea of the text you are translating. However, for professional purposes, they are essentially useless. Imagine reading a text in your native language that had been badly translated. What image would it give you of that company?

Q. How much do you charge?A. Rates may vary due to the length, content and complexity of the text in question. Contact us for an estimate.

Q. Is there a minimum charge?A. Yes. The minimum charge for any translation is £30.

Q. Will the final price be the same as the original quote?A. In the vast majority of translations, yes. However, in exceptional cases, the final invoice may be more or less than the original quote. In any case, we will keep you informed regularly if and when any issues arise.

Q. What payment methods do you accept?A. We accept PayPal, bank transfers, and personal cheques.

Q. I have found a cheaper alternative online. Is it worth paying slightly more?A. We cannot comment on the work of other translation companies. However, it is generally true in the translation market that the lower the price, the lower the quality of the final translation. In any case, it is always worth checking the credentials of the individuals that will be translating your work. Unfortunately, in this industry, many do not have Master’s or even undergraduate degrees, or proof of their foreign language competence such as the DELE C2 exam.

Q. How can I guarantee that the translation will be top quality?A. All our translators are not only experienced but highly qualified, with Master’s degrees in Translation and perfect bilingual proficiency in Spanish, as well as expert knowledge of Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) tools such as Trados and MemoQ. Not only that, company policy dictates that every single work is proofread by another experienced translator.

Q. Do you translate official documents for government use?A. Yes. Contact us for more information.

Q. I have an extremely tight deadline. Is there an Express Translation service?A. Yes. Contact us for exact rates.

Q. Will I have to re-format the translated text?A. No. All of our translations will be delivered identical to the original text.

Q. What are CAT/Translation Memory tools?A. Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) or Translation Memory tools help translators by storing segments of their previous translations, leading to high levels of standardisation and quality control. CAT tools also ensure that the formatting and presentation of the target text are as close as possible to the source text. Examples of important CAT tools are SDL Trados, Kilgray’s MemoQ and Atril’s DéjàVu.

Q. Are you Trados certified?A. Yes. Every one of our translators possess at least Intermediate level, with the majority having passed the Advanced course.

Q. What is the difference between CAT/Translation Memory tools and Machine Translation programs?A. CAT tools do not translate the source text for the translator, they store previously translated segments so that the translator can use them as reference in the future. Machine Translation programs or websites like Google Translate will attempt to translate the text automatically, but often with incomprehensible or unsuitable results.

Q. Do you translate into Spanish?A. Yes.

Q. Do you translate to/from other languages?A. Not at the moment, although we do plan to offer other languages in the near future. However, we have an extensive network of translators of other languages. Contact us and we will be happy to advise you, free of charge.

Q. Do you provide interpreting services?A. Not directly, but we will be happy to recommend excellent quality interpreters in your region. Contact us for more information.

Q. What is localisation?A. Localisation is the process of adapting a product that has been previously translated into different languages to a specific country or region. It differs from translation as it involves a comprehensive study of the target culture in order to correctly adapt the product to local needs.

Q. Do you offer localisation services?A. Yes. Contact us for more information.

Q. Do you translate computer programs?A. Yes. Contact us for more information.

Q. Where are you based?A. At the moment our translators are based in London, Sheffield, Leeds, Durham and Newcastle (England), Tunja (Colombia), Colima (Mexico) and Santiago (Chile).

Q. Do you translate different varieties of Spanish?A. Yes. Our language specialists have spent considerable periods of time living in Spanish-speaking countries, thus guaranteeing 100% comprehension of both European and Latin American Spanish.

Q. What is the difference between Castilian (European) and Latin American Spanish?A. The vast majority of Spanish speakers can understand each other without any problems whatsoever. However, vocabulary, grammar and register can vary considerably between different countries and regions, as is the case in English. For example, the word “coger” in most parts of the Spanish-speaking world means “to take” or “to catch”, but in Mexico it rather vulgarly refers the physical act of love!

Q. Do you translate into British English only?A. All of our translators are native British English speakers. However, at the client's request we can arrange for the work to be proofread by a speaker of another variety of English (e.g. American).

Q. Where can I find your Terms of Business?A. Our Terms of Business can be found here.

Q. I want to become a translator. How do I do it?A. Contact us and we will be happy to advise you.

Translation Englandis not your average translation agency. We are a working collective of individual freelance translators who work collaboratively and combine our individual skills and experience to deliver you a high quality translation at an affordable price. Meet the Translation England team.

The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them."Stephen King